NFL Week 14 Calls

Week 14 is upon us... Here are my predictions...

TNF: Steelers @ Browns: Pittsburgh has made a habit of losing to bad teams this season (i.e. Kansas City, Oakland). I think they play better on Thursday night and look for WR Mike Wallace to fill in well for injured WR Santonio Holmes. Steelers stay alive, but are still on life support. 31-17 PIT

Saints @ Falcons: With injury concerns for the the Falcons top two offensive players (QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner) I don't see them putting up many points offensively. On the other hand, I see the New Orleans Saints scoring like they normally do and staying unbeaten. 27-17 NO

Packers @ Bears: I think Green Bay will stay hot in the cold weather. Look for another solid game for should be Pro Bowl QB Aaron Rodgers. RB Ryan Grant should run well for the Packers and keep an eye on TE Jermichael Finley, who caught 2 TD passes on Monday night. The Bears continue to struggle. 27-20 GB

Jets @ Buccaneers: New York is still alive in the AFC East, but they need to handle the lowly Bucs. I think they will. Look for Rex Ryan's defense to confuse and attack rookie QB Josh Freeman. QB Mark Sanchez is out for the Jets, which may be a good thing for them. The Jets stay in the playoff hunt. 26-16 NYJ

Dolphins @ Jaguars: Big game for AFC playoffs spots. Look for RB Maurice Jones-Drew and WR Mike Sims- Walker "Texas Ranger" to have big games for the Jaguars. For Miami, QB Chad Henne needs to limit the mistakes and RB Ricky Williams needs to continue to run with a purpose. In the end, I think and the Jags get it done at home. 27-23 JAX

Lions @ Ravens: Baltimore looked pretty bad on Monday night, but a home game against the Lions should cure all of there ills. I see QB Joe Flacco bouncing back from what may have been his worst performance as a pro. RB Ray Rice will not be shut down two weeks in a row, so my apologies to Tim "The Toolman" Taylor. WR Calvin Johnson will remain the lone bright spot in the Motor City this week. 34-20 BAL

Seahawks @ Texans: Seattle is not very good in my opinion. The Texans are not playing very well either. I think for reasons I cannot explain, that the Seahawks will fly into H-town and beat the Texans. QB Matt Hasselbeck should have a good game and lead 'Hawks to victory. 27-20 SEA

Broncos @ Colts: Hopefully, the Colts will continue their dominance and hand the Broncos their 5th loss of the season. I think they will and here's why:

1. QB Peyton Manning

2. RB Joseph Addai

3. TE Dallas Clark

4. WR Reggie Wayne

5. Lucas Oil Stadium

I see Manning having a big day and the Colts improving to 13-0. 31-20 IND

Bills @ Chiefs: Possibly Week 14's Game of the Weak. I guess the Bills should win because... well, because they are playing the Chiefs. Look for WR Terrell Owens to score and RB/KR Fred Jackson to have some big yardage for Buffalo. For Kansas City, RB Jamaal Charles is going to be a good NFL player and he will show some signs of that this week. QB Matt Cassel needs to play better soon or the Chiefs' front office is going to want its money back. The Bills win on the road in Arrowhead. 24-16 BUF

Bengals @ Vikings: I see the Vikings rebounding strong from the drudging they took in Glendale last Sunday. RB Adrian Peterson should be looking to avenge his poor performance last week. Same with QB Brett Favre and the Vikes D. I do see Favre throwing more and more picks as the season continues, but I think he will do enough in this game to beat the Bengals. 31-19 MIN

Panthers @ Patriots: In this one, I see New England coming out focused and ready to play at home. Carolina has injury questions everywhere and with or without RB DeAngelo Williams, I just can't picture them winning at Gillette Stadium. QB Tom Brady will have a ridiculous day and look for another 10-15 catches for WR Wes Welker. The Pats bounce back at home. 38-20 NE

Redskins @ Oakland: How in the world did Washington lose that game last week to New Orleans? WOW. Maybe even more amazing... How in the world did Oakland beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh? DOUBLE WOW. I have a feeling that this is going to be one of those games that is a 1st grade teacher's dream.

Q: 3 + 3 + 0 + 3 + 0 + 0 + 3 + 3= ?

A: The scoring log of the Oakland and Washington game.

Both teams will be racing to see whose kicker can score the most. The Skins cut K Shaun Suisham, the dude who shanked the 23-yarder to clinch it last week, so K Graham Gano will take over the kicking duties. I see this one being really boring and luckily I won't have to watch it on TV. 16-10 WSH

Rams @ Titans: Tennessee RB Chris Johnson will rush for over 200 yards this week against the terrible Rams. QB Vince Young will continue playing well, meaning... a) he hands it off to Johnson, b) he dumps it off to Johnson, c) he scrambles for a 1st down d) he hands it of Johnson again. As for the Rams, the NFL's second leading rusher RB Steven Jackson will get some yards, but not nearly as many as his dread-locked counterpart. The Rams will try to not remember the Titans after Johnson terrorizes them on Sunday. 31-16 TEN

CHARGERS @ Cowboys: Pretty good match up between 2 division leaders. The BOLTS need to contain QB Tony Romo and not allow him to improvise. TE Jason Witten will probably catch 15 passes against whichever safety/ linebacker lines up across from him. On offense for SAN DIEGO, I think they can score some points, which they have done in every single game this season. Keep an eye on DE DeMarcus Ware who could force QB Philip Rivers to make mistakes. Cowboys T Flozell Adams is old, slow, and can't bend over... so look for Shawne and Shaun to beat him off the edge. TE Antonio "Tone-Tone" Gates should continue to be a beast... Hey did you know he played basketball at Kent State? The announcers never seem to mention that at all. I hope I'm wrong, but I just think the CHARGERS go down in big D. I know Rivers has not lost a game in December (15-0 as a starter) and the Cowboys never win around Christmastime, but I think the BOLTS lose. 31-24 DAL

SNF: Eagles @ Giants: Big NFC East game for these two. I think QB Donovan McNabb, WR's DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and TE Brent Celek will be too much for the Giants D. New York QB Eli Manning will play decent, but big plays by the Philadelphia offense will fuel the victory. The Eagles take a big step towards the playoffs in the Big Apple. 27-24 PHI

MNF: Cardinals @ 49ers: Arizona can clinch the NFC West with a win in San Fran. Danny Tanner should be covering the game in the Bay Area. The Cardinals offense is clicking and that is bad news for the Niners. QB Kurt Warner, along with his flock of receivers and an improved running game should prove too much for the struggling 49ers. RB Frank Gore could have trouble finding running lanes and QB Alex Smith will probably turn the ball over a time or two. The Cardinals clinch the division and continue heating up at the right time. 31-20 AZ

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 13

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

5. Arizona Cardinals

6. Cincinnati Bengals

7. Green Bay Packers

8. Philadelphia Eagles

9. Dallas Cowboys

10. Denver Broncos

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Kansas City Chiefs

29. Detroit Lions

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 14...

--- J

comments? corrections? am I stupid? let me know...

NFL Week 13 Calls

Week 13 of the NFL Season is upon us. Another week, another solid slate of games... Here are my picks...

TNF: Jets @ Bills: In tonight's game, I think WR Terrell Owens gets shut down by CB Darrelle Revis which forces Buffalo to run the ball. The weather should be chilly which means So Cal boy Mark Sanchez will struggle. I think the Bills take one at home. 27-20 BUF

Eagles @ Falcons: Look for WR Jason Avant to fill in nicely for injured big play threat DeSean Jackson. RB's Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling to need to carry the load for Atlanta without stars Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. Methinks the Falcons can make it competitive, but in the end backup QB Chris "Not Method but" Redman can't save the day 2 weeks in a row. 31-20 PHI

Rams @ Bears: Both teams have been pretty bad this year. The good news for Bears fans is that this may be the first week all season that they don't have the worst QB on the field. Rams QB Kyle Boller is pretty bad. RB Steven "I'm Sorry Ms." Jackson is all the Rams have on offense. The Bears at least have a few offensive threats and QB Jay Cutler should be able to find them this week. The Rams lose another one. 27-16 CHI

Lions @ Bengals: Cincinnati has built a nice 2 game lead in the AFC North. To keep that comfort, they need to beat teams like Detroit at home. I think they will this week as RB Larry Johnson will have a decent day for fantasy players. QB Carson Palmer and WR Chad Eight Five should connect for a TD or 2. The Bengals maintain kings of the AFC North jungle. 27-16 CIN

Raiders @ Steelers: Pittsburgh lost another tough one in OT and need to handle Da Raydas at Heinz to remain in the Wild Card hunt. It looks as though QB Ben Roethlisberger will play which should help the Steelers. It also looks like the entire Raiders team will play, which should also help. Look for a big day from RB Rashard Mendenhall and TE Heath Miller. The Steelers D should force plenty of turnovers and may even score a few by themselves. The black and yellow of Pittsburgh is too much for the Silver and Black of Oakland. 27-13 PIT

Titans @ Colts: I was wrong last week once again about the Colts (no surprise there). I think this week QB Peyton Manning will pick apart a lackluster Tennessee secondary. Look for RB Chris Johnson to have a huge day for the Titans as usual but it won't be enough to carry Tennessee. The Colts stay perfect. 31-22 IND

Broncos @ Chiefs: All of SAN DIEGO county will be rooting for Kansas City come Sunday. Another upset win for the Chiefs would give the BOLTS a big boost in the AFC West. I don't think it will happen though. Denver is just better than the Chiefs are right now. Look for WR Brandon " We Are" Marshall to blow up and for rookie RB "I'm Not Sure If I" Knowshon Moreno to have a good day as well. The Chiefs should continue to struggle this year and I don't think this Sunday will be any different. 27-10 DEN

Patriots @ Dolphins: New England got spanked on Monday night and I look for them to come out much sharper this weekend. QB Tom Brady should have a solid day and WR's Randy Moss and Wes Welker should teach a young Miami secondary a thing or two. Look for RB Ricky Williams to have a good day for the Fins, but in the end the Patriots are too much. 31-23 NE

Saints @ Redskins: New Orleans is looking like world beaters after dismantling the Patriots on Monday. Look for more of the same from MVP front runner QB Drew Brees and his group of cronies. As for the Skins, look for QB Jason Campbell to struggle, especially if he can't locate ball-hawking safety Darren Sharper. I think the Saints continue marching into the postseason and keep their one game lead for NFC home field advantage in the playoffs. 34-16 NO

Buccaneers @ Panthers: It is a rarity this season that the Bucs will have a advantage at the quarterback position, but with the Panthers forced to start QB Matt Moore, Tampa Bay's QB Josh Freeman may be the premier signal caller on the field. With Moore having to start, I look for Carolina to try to run the ball more than ever, which means RB's DeAngelo Williams (pending his health) and Jonathan Stewart to carry the load. I actually think that the Bucs will win this game on the road and the Panthers will need to find a quarterback of the future. 24-16 TB

Texans @ Jaguars: In this one, look for the tandem of QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson to carry the Texans offensively. On offense for the Jags, look for RB Maurice Jones-Drew and rookie WR Mike Sims-Walker to shoulder the load. This game is about a wash defensively so I give the edge to Houston. I think that the Texans pull this one out, but in a close one. 31-27 HOU

CHARGERS @ Browns: A trap game for the CHARGERS, who travel to Dallas next Sunday. The BOLTS need to come out firing and put this one away early. I think they will, by throwing a few deep balls to gigantic WR's Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd. Oh yeah, and don't forget about the best TE in the game Antonio Gates. Hopefully the CHARGERS will get LT over 100 yards rushing and the defense will continue to force takeaways. Keep an eye on WR/KR Josh Cribbs, who is even more dangerous returning kicks than Darren Sproles. I think the Norvell has the squad focused and they take care of business in Cleveland. 30-16 SD

Cowboys @ Giants: In a huge NFC East match up the G-Men host the 'Boys. The calender has flipped to December, which means look for Dallas to begin to fall apart. I think that demise starts Sunday when the Giants bounce back from the Turducken they laid on Thanksgiving. I think QB Eli Manning plays well and leads the Giants to a nice win at home. Romo struggles for Dallas. 27-17 NYG

49ers @ Seahawks: Another divisional match up which is very important for San Francisco. With a win against Seattle, and a very probable Cardinals loss on SNF to Minnesota, the Niners would only be 1 game back of Arizona and still much alive in the NFC West race. I think the 49ers do their part and rely on RB Frank Gore and TE Vernon Davis to put up points. Rookie WR Michael Crabtree will have the best game of his albeit brief career as San Fran clips the wings of the Seahawks. 27-13 SF

SNF: Vikings @ Cardinals: NBC flexed their scheduling muscle and gave the nation another chance to hear the name Brett Favre said about 7593 times. The Cardinals are 1-1 on SNF with their loss coming at home to the Colts. They can redeem themselves by handling the red-hot Vikings but I don't think it will happen. RB Adrian Peterson will run all over the Redbirds D and WR Percy Harvin will continue to make his case for Rookie of the Year. The Cards have health concerns at QB and should have trouble protecting whoever gets the nod behind center... can you say Jared Allen? 34-20 MIN

MNF: Ravens @ Packers: A pretty solid Monday night match up pits two Wild Card hopefuls. Look for RB Ray Rice to do it all for Baltimore... as usual. The "That's So" Raven defense should get a bunch of sacks on QB Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers should still have a good game and if it weren't for his predecessor in Minnesota, people would see that he is a great NFL QB as well (3136 yards passing, 22 TDs and 5 INTs). I think that the Baltimore defense is too much for Green Bay and even though Rodgers plays well, the Ravens win this pivotal game on the road. 27-20 BAL

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 12

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

5. Dallas Cowboys

6. Cincinnati Bengals

7. Arizona Cardinals

8. Green Bay Packers

9. New England Patriots

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Kansas City Chiefs

29. Detroit Lions

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 13...

--- J

comments? corrections? am I stupid? let me know...

NFL Week 12 Calls

Hey friends... Here are my Week 12 Picks... Thanksgiving Edition... on the 11-Year Anniversary of the "I Called Tails, No You Didn't" controversy, starring Jerome Bettis and Phil Lockett...

Thanksgiving Day Games:

Packers @ Lions: Green Bay started strong against the Niners last week but then almost gave up the lead at the end. The Lions won a crazy game where rookie QB Matthew Stafford threw a game-winning TD pass on an un-timed down at the wire. Stafford is now hurt with a busted left shoulder and I think the QB Dante Culpepper will fill in somewhat-nicely. The Pack lost two key players to injury but I look for QB Aaron Rodgers and RB Ryan Grant to pull through in the Turkey Day opener. 31-20 GB

Raiders @ Cowboys: This game should be so interesting by halftime that I will go outside and throw the football and forget to come back inside for the 2nd half. I know Dallas has been struggling to score points and the Raiders got a early Christmas gift from the Bengals, but I still think the Boys will roll on Thursday. QB Tony Romo and WR "A Marathon Equals 26.2" Miles Austin should light up the scoreboard as the Cowboys will feast on the Raiders. 34-16 DAL

Giants @ Broncos: The Broncos got smoked by the BOLTS on Sunday and now have to come back on a short week with questions at QB and face the New York Gigantes. I think QB Eli Manning should have a solid night and RB's Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should find the same running lanes CHARGER tailbacks enjoyed on Sunday. If Denver doesn't start winning soon, Broncos fans will let the team know it and I may have to start calling their signal caller Kyle Orton "Hears a Boo". I think the slide continues for Denver as the G-Men stand tall at Mile High. 27-16 NYG

Sunday Games:

Buccaneers @ Falcons: Atlanta RB Jason Snelling got a taste of a starting lineup on Sunday and liked it. He rushed for 76 yards and 2 TDs but the Falcons still lost in overtime. I look for Atlanta to bounce back this week on the back of Snelling and the arm of QB Matt Ryan. The Bucs lose again and the Falcons stay alive in the NFC wildcard race. 27-17 ATL

Dolphins @ Bills: In this AFC East match up, I look for more big things from WR Terrell Owens who is facing two rookie corners from Miami. RB Ricky Williams came up huge for the Dolphins on Thursday night and killed me in my fantasy league. I look for him to continue his resurgence and score a few more times this week. I think he's the difference as the Dolphins improve to 6-5. 24-16 MIA

Browns @ Bengals: Cleveland lost a heart breaker to Detroit last week in the "Brutal Bowl" and the Bengals managed to fumble away a victory in Oakland. I look for the Browns to have trouble moving the ball and the Bengals to force a few big turnovers on defense. Cincinnati figures out how to win a game you're supposed to and takes this one at home. 27-13 CIN

Panthers @ Jets: Carolina will need to continue to ride their 2-headed monster at tailback if they want to be effective on offense. New York will need QB Mark Sanchez to stop blowing the game with turnovers if they want to finish with a respectable record this season. I think this could be an interception fest between Sanchez and Jake (Great Name) Delhomme, but the running game of Sweet Carolina... dun dun duh, will be enough to get them the win. 26-20 CAR

Redskins @ Eagles: Philadelphia needs this win to try to keep pace with Dallas in the NFC East. The Skins need this win so their coach doesn't get fired. I think QB Donovan McNabb will have a big passing day and WR Jeremy Maclin and TE Brent Celek will be his main targets. Look for a lot of double coverage on WR DeSean Jackson which will limit his touches. Washington needs QB Jason Campbell to protect the ball and make some magic happen if the Redskins want to win this one on the road. Campbell has the hat but can't find the rabbit. The Eagles fly high again. 26-24 PHI

Colts @ Texans: Indianapolis comes in unblemished looking to improve to 11-0. I think this is the week they fall. You may be saying to yourself, "I thought you said last week was the week they were going to fall?" I did, and if Ravens QB Joe Flacco hadn't thrown an awful 4th quarter interception they would have. I think WR Andre Johnson and RB Steve Slaton will expose a thus far over-performing defense for the Colts. You all know my feelings on QB Matt Schaub, so I will save you the trouble. QB Peyton Manning will play well as usual, but the Colts will lose a close one late. 27-24 HOU

Seahawks @ Rams: The NFC West is probably the worst division in Ron Jaworski's "National Football League". St. Louis is pretty awful and Seattle is not too much better. Look for RB Steven Jackson to have a huge day and diminutive but solid WR/KR Danny Amendola to get a few more looks at wideout. In a Jake's Take first I am picking the Rams to win a game. 24-16 STL

Chiefs @ CHARGERS: The BOLTS dominated the Donkeys last Sunday and look to win their 6th straight. I think RB's LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles will find a lot of running room and the endzone. QB Philip Rivers should continue his solid play and find his enormous targets at wide receiver (i.e. Vincent Jackson, Malcom "the X Factor" Floyd and Legedu "I Only Need 3 Different Letters in my Last Name" Naanee). On defense, SAN DIEGO has been as fierce as Macy's on Black Friday morning. LB Kevin Burnett had his best game of the year and S Stephen Gregory may of had the best of his career. Look for the OLB Shawne Merriman and Co. to turn the lights out on Kansas City at the Q. Daygo goes to 8-3. 34-17 SD

Jaguars @ 49ers: Another one of the hottest teams in the league is Jacksonville. The Jags have won 3 straight and 6 of their last 8. I think they will be able to run the ball against the San Francisco defense with RB Maurice Jones-Drew. WR Mike Sims-Walker "Texas Ranger" may not have Chuck Norris' devastating roundhouse kick, but he can catch the football and make big plays. I think the Jaguars stay on the prowl as the 49ers keep mining for answers. 27-20 JAX

Cardinals @ Titans: Arizona will need QB Kurt Warner to be fully healthy if they want to win this one on the road. Tennessee has be decimated by injuries in the secondary and if Warner is healthy, he should have no trouble finding his talented crew of pass catchers. I think Warner will play, and play well but the defense of Arizona will let them down. QB Vince Young will create some big plays and RB Chris Johnson will do what he seems to do week in and week out... and that's gain huge amounts of yards. The redbirds defense lets them down in their first road loss of 2009. 30-24 TEN

Bears @ Vikings: The Bears are who we thought they were... a mediocre team at best. QB Jay Cutler has been terrible and the running game hasn't provided much help either. The Vikings on the other hand have the best running back in the game and a quarterback who feels comfortable in his Wranglers... and Viking purple. I look for Favre, WR's Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin and that dude in the backfield... I think his name is Adrian Something?? to have another big game and get another big win. Vikes win. 34-20 MIN

SNF: Steelers @ Ravens: A huge match up for a wild card spot or perhaps a AFC North title on prime time. Pittsburgh will need QB Ben Roethlisberger to be cleared and clear-headed when they face the attacking defense of the Ravens. Baltimore will need QB Joe Flacco to avoid costly turnovers and make some big plays against a Troy Polamalu-less defense. RB Ray Rice should be limited in the running game but I think he will be a big factor in the passing attack. I think Steelers will lose, but in a close one. Ravens get back in the hunt. 26-20 BAL

MNF: Patriots @ Saints: The Game of the Week pits the undefeated Saints against the always dangerous New England Patriots. It is incredibly hard to go into the Superdome and come out with a victory, especially on Monday Night. I look for both QB's to play well as usual. New Orleans needs the running game to get going early so the Patriots can't pin their ears back and attack QB Drew Brees. Look for Pats WR's Randy Moss and Wes Welker to continue their torrid pace and each catch a TD. New England had one undefeated team on the ropes 2 weeks ago and couldn't deliver the knock out punch, but I think they get it done this time around. The almighty Saints fall for the first time. 31-27 NE

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 11

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. New England Patriots

5. Cincinnati Bengals

6. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. Arizona Cardinals

9. Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Seattle Seahawks

29. Detroit Lions

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 12...

--- J

comments? corrections? am I stupid? let me know...

NFL Week 11 Calls

Here are my Week 11 picks... it's going to be a quick one because this thing called school has got me busy...

TNF: Dolphins @ Panthers: Miami without RB Ronnie Brown (injured foot- out for the season) should struggle on offense. If the 2 RB's for Carolina are healthy and can play they should have a big day. Panthers win the 2nd Thirsty Thursday Bowl of the season. 27-16 CAR

Redskins @ Cowboys: Washington helped out CHARGER fans big time last week by beating the Broncos. I don't think they can hang offensively with Dallas in this one and will probably get blown out. The Cowboys O will rebound from last week's poor performance. 34-17 DAL

Browns @ Lions: WHO CARES? The Browns are terrible, as seen on Monday Night, and the Lions aren't much better... but I do think they are better and will win this week. WR Calvin Johnson should have a big day for Detroit. 27-16 DET

49ers @ Packers: Both squads are coming of big wins, but I think the Packers have more talent offensively than do the Niners. QB Aaron Rodgers should have a big day and QB Alex Smith should struggle once again for San Fran. 27-17 GB

Steelers @ Chiefs: Pittsburgh's best player S Troy Polamalu is out and this will at some point affect the Steelers negatively, just not this week. They will still handle business against a bad Chiefs team in Arrowhead. Steelers cruise. 31-17 PIT

Falcons @ Giants: New York has lost 4 straight and is coming off a bye. If they aren't fired up and prepared for this game then I don't know what to say. Atlanta RB Michael Turner is hurt and if he doesn't play the Falcons have no chance. 27-16 NYG

Saints @ Buccaneers: New Orleans struggled against the Rams last week but are still undefeated. Tampa Bay lost a heart breaker to Miami last week and is looking better. I think QB Drew Brees has a solid day and RB's Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, and my fellow Silver Pigskin Award Winner Reggie Bush will have no trouble finding room to run. Saints go to 10-0. 37-24 NO

Bills @ Jaguars: Buffalo just fired coach Dick Jauron and all I have to say is good luck to his replacement. This team is just not very good. As for Jacksonville, they came back late against the Jets and have been playing a little better as of late. RB "Some people call me" Maurice Jones-Drew is the man and he is the difference in this game. Jaguars win their 3rd straight. 24-16 JAX

Colts @ Ravens: Indianapolis was the beneficiary of yet another cocky move by "Sleveless" Bill Belichick and won in the waning seconds on Sunday Night. The Ravens had a bye as they got to play Cleveland on Monday Night. QB Peyton Manning should have another solid day and so will RB Ray Rice for Baltimore. I think the Colts finally get upset and the Ravens go to 6-4. 27-24 BAL

Seahawks @ Vikings: Seattle does not have the fire power on offense to keep up with Minnesota, not to mention the Vikings have a much better defense. Look for more of the same from QB Brett Favre and RB Adrian "All Day" Peterson as the Vikes roll. 31-17 MIN

Cardinals @ Rams: Arizona seems to finally be putting it all together and with all their speed at wide receiver, they will be tough to cover on the turf in the Lou. Rams RB Steven Jackson is the only bright spot for an otherwise boring team to watch. Jackson's one-man show is not enough to beat a full deck of Cards. 34-20 ARZ

Jets @ Patriots: The Jets beat the Patriots earlier this year but it seems like the rookie woes of QB Mark Sanchez have hit and hit hard. I think Brady and Co. will be able to get 2 yards when they need it, and actually about 450 more throughout the day. The should have a big game on offense and attack Sanchez on defense. New England doesn't give this one away. 37-13 NE

Bengals @ Raiders: The Bengals had one of the toughest tests in football last week and passed, by beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh. This week, they face an even tougher task... playing the Raiders in Jokeland. I think they should manage and handle a struggling Oakland team with no identity. Bengals move to 8-2. 24-13 CIN

CHARGERS @ Broncos: Huge game for both squads. It's a tale of 2 teams who seem to be going in opposite directions. I think without QB Kyle "Either" Orton (who I don't think is that great to begin with) Denver has a real slim chance to win this game. QB Chris Simms was 3-13 last in relief of Orton and he will be facing a fired up CHARGER D. I think BOLTS QB Philip Rivers should have a good day and WR Vincent Jackson will have more than the 1 catch he did last week. RB LaDainian Tomlin "soon to have a" son (or daughter) should have another decent day if the O-line continues to improve. I think the universe is righted as the BOLTS once again regain their throne atop the AFC West. 27-16 SD

SNF: Eagles @ Bears: Philly got dominated by the CHARGERS last week but did make it interesting at the end. QB Jay Cutler threw 5 picks and handed (or threw) the game to the Niners last Thursday. I think the Eagles will continue to rely on the passing game to move the ball, especially now with RB Brian Westbrook out with his 2nd concussion. As for Chicago, RB Matt Forte needs to get going or else Cutler will continue to force balls into tight coverage and then proceed to stand on the sidelines with a pathetic/confused look on his face. I think the Eagles should bounce back and win this one as the Bears continue to struggle. 27-26 PHI

MNF: Titans @ Texans: Quick uniform prediction: The Texans wear all blue (maybe all red) uniforms for this game. QB Matt Schaub should show the nation what I have been saying all along... that he is a top-tier NFL QB. WR Andre Johnson should have a huge day against a injury-riddled Tennessee secondary. On offense for the Titans, all QB Vince Young needs to do is get the snap, turn around and hand it to #21 Chris Johnson, the leagues leading rusher. He is tough to stop and he should have an enormous day. I think this game will be a shoot out but the Titans will run out of ammo late. Houston wins in a rare Monday Night appearance. 38-31 HOU

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 10

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. Cincinnati Bengals

5. New England Patriots

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

9. Arizona Cardinals

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Detroit Lions

29. Oakland Raiders

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 11...

--- J

NFL Week 10 Calls

How can it be Week 10 of the NFL season already?... Unbelievable. So far a pretty entertaining first half of the NFL season. Should be an even better second half.

Here are my picks for Week 10...

TNF: Bears @ 49ers: In the first Thursday night game of the season, the struggling Bears go to San Francisco to face the struggling Niners. San Fran head coach Mike Singletary will get to coach against his former franchise in a game that both teams need desperately. I look for Chicago to try to get the running game going early with RB Matt Forte and then let QB Jay Cutler air it out to WR Devin Hester as the game progresses. As for the 49ers, QB Alex Smith cannot turn the ball over 5 times like he did last week. I think RB Frank Gore should have a good one but in a losing effort. Bears coach Lovie "Dovie" Smith should have his squad focused after an embarrassing loss last week. Da Bears win the 1st NFL Network Thirsty Thursday Bowl of the season. 27-24 CHI

Broncos @ Redskins: Denver has looked like the Broncos team everyone expected in the past couple weeks. They were held to just 59 yards in the 2nd half against Pittsburgh on Monday night. I wish I could say that I think they will lose their 3rd straight contest, but the way Washington has been playing this season does not give me much hope. Redskins RB Clinton Portis is "very questionable" with a concussion and even with him the offense has failed to score more than 17 points in a game so far this season. "Game manager" Kyle "Worst Facial Hair in the NFL" Orton has woken up from his early season coma and has played like the average QB he is. Having said this, Washington has been so bad this year I think Denver gets this win on the road. I hope I'm wrong on this one but I think the Broncos get win #7. 26-16 DEN

Falcons @ Panthers: The birds from Atlanta seem to have remembered that RB Michael "The Burner" Turner is a good player and therefore have began giving him the ball more. The defense of Atlanta has been as vicious as the Real Housewives of Atlanta. As for Carolina, they gave the Saints somewhat of a challenge last week but still lost. They sit at 3-5 but the good news is that RB DeAngelo Williams has returned to his 2008 form, rushing for 307 yards in the last 2 weeks. I think QB Matt Ryan will have little trouble finding WR Roddy White and TE Tony "Not So Speedy" Gonzalez and oh yeah... turn around and give the rock to Turner. The Falcons go into Carolina and beat the Panthers. 34-27 ATL

Saints @ Rams: This one may be a barn-burner. Not. The Rams are really bad. The Saints are obviously really good. QB Drew Brees and the Saints offense should put up mammoth numbers against a poor Rams defense. Rams RB Steven Jackson has been playing better of late but I think he should have some trouble against a New Orleans defense that should have no reason to fear the Rams putrid passing attack. Look for RB Pierre Thomas to score for the Saints and for another big day by former Boilermaker and CHARGER Drew Brees. The Saints "brees" by St. Louis and remain unbeaten. 41-10 NO

Buccaneers @ Dolphins: Tampa Bay busted out their old school Creamsicle orange unis last weekend and won their first game of the year. Will Smith's favorite city... Miami, the city that keeps the roof blazin', put up a valiant, but losing effort to the Patriots. I look for Miami to get back on track this week and run all over the Bucs. I really just don't think the Bucs are good enough to win 2 straight games. Rookie QB Josh Freeman played well last week which means in typical rookie fashion he will struggle this week. RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams should have a big day and lead the Dolphins to victory. 27-13 MIA

Lions @ Vikings: This game should be a beat down. RB Adrian Peterson may run for 200 yards in this one. Detroit is just not very good and Minnesota is one of the top teams, as Ron Jaworski would say, in the National Football League. QB Brett Favre has a sore groin but that shouldn't stop the much better Vikings from beating the cowardly Lions at home. Keep an eye on WR/KR Percy Harvin, the former Florida Gator may be an early candidate for Rookie of the Year. 38-16 MIN

Jaguars @ Jets: Jacksonville squeaked by Kansas City last week while New York was at home watching on their bye week. The Jets are a .500 team at 4-4 and can ill-afford to lose any more ground to New England. WR Braylon Edwards should have a big day against a struggling Jaguars secondary. QB Mark "Aquaman" Sanchez should have an average day but shouldn't make any glaring mistakes either. RB Maurice Jones-Drew is an underrated player and look for him to have yet another 100+ yard day. I think a few good frames by bowling ball MJD will be the difference as loud New York fans everywhere are yelling to fire coach Rex Ryan and calling Sanchez a bum. Jaguars take one at the Meadowlands. 27-24 JAX

Bengals @ Steelers: In perhaps the most important divisional game of the week, save KC at Oakland of course, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati face off for the lead in the AFC North. The Bengals won round 1 of this fight by beating the Steelers in Cincy. I think Pittsburgh regains supremacy in the North by sticking to what they do best, defense. With S Troy Polumalu back and healthy, the Steeler defense seems to be clicking. On Monday night the Steel Curtain looked to be in total effect. RB Rashard Mendenhall has been running with a purpose and look for him to have a good day. QB Carson Palmer has played really well this season after returning from injury but the loss of WR Chris Henry for the year will mean WR Andre Caldwell will need to step up big time. Palmer will struggle a bit and WR Chad 8-5 lets him know about it. The Bengals are better this year but still aren't quite there yet. Steelers take the lead in the AFC North. 27-20 PIT

Bills @ Titans: Buffalo has been pretty bad this season and Tennessee has just figured out that the season started 9 weeks ago. The Titans have played much better in the past 2 weeks and I look for that to continue this Sunday. QB Vince Young is 2-0 as the starter this season and RB Chris Johnson has rushed for a league leading 959 yards halfway through the year. I see Johnson having another huge week rushing and Young playing well enough to get the Titans their 3rd straight win. WR Terrell Owens has been invisible in Buffalo and the countdown is officially on for him to blow up and call out his QB. On the field, the Titans stay hot and win at home. 27-16 TEN

Chiefs @ Raiders: This is by far the GAME OF THE WEEK. Oops... I meant GAME OF THE WEAK. The Chiefs cut RB Larry Johnson and he was such a hot commodity that no one claimed him off waivers. With or without Johnson this game will still be awful. This should be a terrible display and I don't even want to waste too much of my or my readers time breaking it down. So here's the Cliff Notes version:

Ch. 1- QB JaMarcus Russell struggles, blames teammates.

Ch. 2- Chiefs can't run the ball.

Ch. 3- Raiders get one lucky big play and kick a field goal.

Ch. 4- QB Matt Cassel hits WR Chris Chambers for a TD.

Ch. 5- Both teams punt the ball back and forth a lot.

Ch. 6- The game ends and still, no one cares.

The Chiefs win this one in an instant classic. 16-10 KC

Cowboys @ Packers: This is a game that Green Bay needs desperately. The Packers managed to lose to Tampa Bay last week and now they get to face a pretty hot Dallas team. QB Aaron Rodgers has been getting killed week in and week out behind a bad offensive line. QB Tony Romo outplayed Donovan McNabb on prime time last Sunday. I look for more of the same from both teams. Rodgers will play well but sacks will kill the offensive momentum. Romo will continue to play well since it is November and he doesn't start to choke until after Thanksgiving. The Cowboys D will harass A-Rod all day and force a few key turnovers. The Boys will beat the Pack and you can place the blame directly on the Green Bay offensive line. 31-24 DAL

Eagles @ CHARGERS: The Qualiseum will be rocking on Sunday as the Eagles fly into Mission Valley. The Bolts will need to continue to pressure the QB like they have been for the past 3 weeks (15 sacks in 3 games). On offense, SAN DIEGO will have to protect QB Philip Rivers (who outplayed Eli Manning last week by the way). Philadelphia has an aggressive, attacking defense that loves to blitz from all possible angles. The CHARGERS secondary needs to keep a close eye not only on WRs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but also on TE Brent Celek. Celek should have a big game because the Bolts routinely cover TEs poorly. WR Vincent Jackson has been amazing thus far this season and you can bet that All-Pro CB Asante Samuel will be all over him, if he's healthy. Look for a TD pass from LT and big day for TE Antonio Gates. I think the Eagles defense will not be able to act like a dam and stop the Rivers. The Bolts go to 6-3 as they continue their momentum. 27-24 SD

Seahawks @ Cardinals: Well Arizona is at home so that means they will probably lose. That's right, the Cardinals are 4-0 on the road this season and a mere 1-3 back at their own nest in Glendale. Seattle beat the Lions last week but have not been very impressive overall. I think QB Kurt Warner and Co. will have good numbers and put up at least 30 points. WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and not late but Early Doucet had a great game last week and I think it will continue this Sunday. Seahawks QB Matt Hasslebeck may need a few more EAS protein shakes to lead his squad to a win on the road. I don't think Seattle has the personnel to match up with Arizona. The Cards get back to their winning ways at home. 34-24 ARZ

SNF: Patriots @ Colts: Great match up. Tom Brady and the good Manning, Peyton, should put on a clinic on professional quarterback play. New England is 6-2 and leads the AFC East by 2 games. Indianapolis is 8-0 and is running away with the AFC South. I look for Brady to continue to find WRs Randall Moss and Wes Welker (former CHARGER) as well as TE Ben Watson. As for the Colts, Manning will spread the ball to WRs Reggie Wayne and Austin Collie and TE Dallas Clark as usual. I look for RB Joseph Addai to be the difference maker on offense for Indy but I think the Colts fall for the first time this season. They have been playing teams real close the past few weeks and I think it will catch up with them this week. I think Tom Brady and the Patriots offense will emerge victorious in a very entertaining game. 38-31 NE

MNF: Ravens @ Browns: First off, why the hell is Cleveland on Monday Night Football? They are so bad and their offense is painful to watch. Anyway, Baltimore lost to Cincinnati last week after looking unstoppable against Denver in Week 8. I think the Ravens will destroy Cleveland in this one. The Baltimore defense should pressure QB Brady Quinn all day long and make him wish that coach Eric Mangini left him on the bench. RB Ray Rice should have a huge night for Baltimore and so should QB Joe Flacco. I can see this one getting really ugly really quick. The Ravens and all their rowdy friends will roll on Monday Night. 34-6 BAL

Jake's Power Rankings through Week 9

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Minnesota Vikings

4. New England Patriots

5. Cincinnati Bengals

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Dallas Cowboys

8. Denver Broncos

9. Philadelphia Eagles

10. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Jake's Bottom of the Barrel Rankings

28. Detroit Lions

29. Kansas City Chiefs

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Cleveland Browns

That's it for Week 10...

... In the words of Cleveland Browns QB and EAS spokesman Brady Quinn, "Now I'm done."

---J